NOTEBOOK: Crimson On Right Side of History

For a moment in Friday night’s game against Columbia, it looked like history was repeating itself, and that was not good news for the Harvard men’s basketball team.

In the last meeting between these two squads, the Crimson built a 10-point lead early in the second half and led by as much as six in the final five minutes, but the Lions switched into a zone defense that stymied Harvard’s offense. Columbia eventually overtook the Crimson and won, 60-59, on a lay-in with four seconds left.

On Friday, Harvard led by 15 points with less than seven minutes remaining. Again, the Lions switched defenses, this time using a trapping press that forced the Crimson into committing several turnovers. A 9-2 run cut Harvard’s lead to six points and swung the momentum into Columbia’s favor.

“They were not going to quit, they were going to do some good things,” Harvard coach Tommy Amaker said. “We knew basketball is usually a game of runs.”

Guarding a 58-52 lead, the Crimson seemed to be on the verge of crumbling again. The ball was in freshman guard Oliver McNally’s hands with the shot clock winding down as he squared up, attempted to draw contact, and launched a one-handed leaner from the wing. The ball swished through the net, exciting the crowd, extending Harvard’s lead, and giving the team a much needed emotional lift.

“It was obviously a very big shot for us,” Amaker said. “We were fortunate that he made it.”

Columbia continued to apply defensive pressure, but the Crimson kept its cool, protecting the ball and hitting 12-of-14 from the charity stripe over the final three minutes.

“This time around, we didn’t panic when they cut our lead down,” junior Jeremy Lin said. “We just stuck to what we’ve been taught and we continued to try to get fouled, go to the free-throw line, and get stops and rebounds.”

NOT IN MY HOUS’

The spark that ignited Harvard’s offense in the second half and stretched its lead was the stalwart defense of senior guard Drew Housman.

“He was tremendous,” Amaker said. “I thought he was the catalyst in that area that got us that lead.”

Nursing a four-point advantage with 11:27 left in the second half, Housman smothered Lions guard Matt Johnson as he brought the ball over half-court. The senior managed to poke the ball loose, gain possession, and find Lin for an easy lay-up.

The next time down court, Columbia entrusted Kevin Bulger with the ball-handling duties. Again, Housman applied pressure, stole the ball, and drove all the way to the rim, where he got fouled.

Now concerned with Housman’s defense, the Lions tried setting a pick for their guard but were called for an illegal screen, their third straight turnover. After the Crimson scored on the ensuing possession, a flustered Columbia team called a timeout. Harvard then led 48-39 thanks, in large part, to Housman’s tenacious defense.

“[Housman] obviously turned up the ball pressure in the second half.” Lin said. “That was huge.”

In all, Housman finished with six of the Crimson’s 11 steals, while forcing several other turnovers with his disruptiveness.

“He was what you want to see in a point guard,” Amaker said. “His ability to get into their point guard, being disruptive…[usually] you’re not going to get a lot of steals, but, boy, he got a lot of them tonight.”

BIG MEN ON CAMPUS

All season, the front court—decimated by injuries—has been an Achilles’ heel for Harvard. The Crimson ranks seventh among the Ancient Eight in rebounds per game. On Friday, however, the script was flipped.

Freshman forward Keith Wright finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and four blocks; senior forward Andrew Pusar scored nine points and corralled seven boards; and senior forward Evan Harris tallied six rebounds and two blocks, including an emphatic swat late in the second half to punctuate the victory.

“We really did a great job on the glass,” Amaker said. “I was really impressed and pleased with how we were able to rebound the ball.”

As a team, Harvard bested Columbia on points in the point, 30-14, and on rebounds, 39-27.

“[Wright] had a presence in the post, and that’s what we need from Keith and Evan [Harris],” Amaker said. “That’s really big for our team as we move down the stretch in the season.”

—Staff writer Timothy J. Walsh can be reached at twalsh@fas.harvard.edu.